discharge documents comprising relevant patient health information from existing systems and databases. These discharge documents summarize care and help patients and caretakers continue the post-care regimen. Discharge documents can be automatically populated with a list of medications with pictures, what to expect during the healing process, who to contact with concerns or questions, and detailed instructions based on that specifi c patient’s demographics, diagnosis and circumstances.

the three stages of meaningful use are often viewed as bureaucratic hoops practitioners must jump through with no real purpose behind them. In reality, the push toward EHRs will leverage the stages of meaningful use as platforms to build momentum, improve reimbursement and ultimately advance quality of care. Urging providers to get on board at Stage 1 is critical to demonstrating that practitioners are using EHRs

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effectively and that functional and interoperability measures and clinical quality measures are being tied to EHR use. This stage will also demonstrate the ability to share information electronically about patient care among providers of care and patient authorized entities,

advancing the interoperability requirements for health information.

Stages 2 and 3 of meaningful use (beginning in 2013 and 2015, respectively) will encompass more stringent eligibility requirements to demonstrate meaningful use, including large amounts of data and a gargantuan leap forward in the intricacy of data required from practitioners themselves. Fundamental to making the value proposition easily digestible for healthcare providers is involvement in Stage 1 meaningful use. If provider organizations are utilizing vital outreach and training tools to accomplish Stage 1, however, the subsequent stages will not leave them staring into the abyss. Waiting until 2013 to begin the transition will make already intransigent practitioners even more disillusioned with the process. This type of passive involvement could negatively impact the momentum that is required to unleash innovation with the EHRs, improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.